Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has revealed why
the President, Muhammadu Buhari, refrained from imposing or naming a consensus
candidate for the All Progressives Congress as his successor.
He said the ruling party’s special convention and
presidential primary that produced the former Lagos State governor, Bola
Tinubu, as the party’s flagbearer was a litmus test for the President, hence
his neutrality.
Adesina, who is the Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, stated these in a piece titled, ‘Knock, Knock! Who’s
there?’.
The presidential spokesman said despite his indication that he had a favourite candidate, the President walked the talk of his promise that he would leave a legacy of a free, fair and credible process for the country.
Adesina added that while one of Buhari’s predecessors in
office allegedly imposed his successor, the President was nondiscriminatory and
allowed due process to take order of the day.
He wrote, “Let me first talk of the last one week that led
to the primary election of the APC. In an interview he granted in January, this
year, President Muhammadu Buhari had indicated that he had a favorite
candidate. Would he name the person? He balked, saying he would be exposing the
individual to too much risks, including possible elimination.
“It was human to have a favorite in such situation, and the
President did no wrong. But would you unduly favor the person? Would you throw
your weight around, ride roughshod over the others, and impose your favored one
on your political party and the nation? We have seen it before. Former
President, Olusegun Obasanjo, did it with Umaru Yar’Adua. He did same, though
to a lesser extent with Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Can Buhari do it and remain a
democrat, fair, impartial? Knock, Knock! Who’s There?
“That was the matter of interest in the week before the
primary election. There were at least 23 aspirants. Who would the President
give the nod? Could he remain neutral, non-aligned? At least, he had confessed
he had someone in mind. Would he remain even-handed, detached,
non-discriminatory?
“There were at least four consultative meetings, towards
getting an acceptable candidate for the party. One was with the APC Governors,
called Progressive Governors Forum. The other was with the presidential
aspirants themselves, then with the National Advisory Council (formerly called
Board of Trustees), and finally with the Northern Progressive Governors Forum.
“The main thing on
the agenda was usually who would be the preferred aspirant. What part of the
country would he come from? Would the President name his favorite, or leave it
to democratic principle of voting? How did the President do it? How did he
remain neutral, when he had earlier confessed that he had a favorite? It’s a
test of fairness, being a democrat or not, and the President passed it, despite
all the odds.
“Each time a consultative meeting ended, there were twists
and contortions to whatever the President said. They imported and imputed all
sorts of interpretations, mostly unfounded and incorrect. Oh, this is what he
meant. He said this and that. This is what he was actually saying. He just
didn’t come straight. The man held his peace.
“Primary Election Day came. And the President still remained
neutral, despite having confessed that he had a favorite aspirant. How did he
do it? Strange. Supernatural. Curious. Knock, Knock! Who’s There? But President
Buhari remained unobtrusive, demure, self-effacing, till a candidate finally
emerged.
“While the process lasted, I had observed people who were
core Buharists, but now on different sides of the divide, go for one another’s
jugular. Some were virulent, odious, descending to the level of indecency. But
now that the race is over, can they sheathe their swords? Is there anything in
life that should make us become indecent, uncouth in both language and action?
Fie! Fie, I say.
“The day of decision will come in February. May God spare us
till then, and beyond. President Buhari has done his level best for his party,
and the country. He has been beleaguered by some forces and interests since
2015, and it had largely been about the quest for power. He is exiting
decently, orderly, doing his best till the last day. The onus is now on Bola
Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and the other candidates to answer the ring at the
door. Knock, Knock! Who’s There?”
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